Best of the Big Screens

High-definition TV's are Getting Bigger and Better Than Ever

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Best Plasma TVs:

Best of the Big Screens, 58 inch and Larger (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Panasonic TH-58PZ750U (58 in.) Approx. $5000
The top-rated 1080p Panasonic had rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks. It displayed the finest detail in the 58-inch screen.

#2. Pioneer PDP-6010FD (60 in.) Approx. $6500
The 60-inch Pioneer had best-in-class black levels and contrast, excellent sound, and a subwoofer line out.

Jumbo 720p Screen Resolution (Cost less, but just as good)

#1. Vizio VM60P HDT-V10A (60 in.) Approx. $2500
For the most bang for the buck, consider the 60-inch Vizio. Picture quality was very good, though a step below the best 1080p sets, partly because the blacks could be deeper.

#2. Maxent MX-58HPT51 (58 in.) Approx. $2200
Well priced, but there were some jagged edges in images than on better sets.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

         

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Best of the Big Screens, 50 inch sets (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Panasonic TH-50PZ700U Approx. $3000 - Excellent picture quality. This 1080p Panasonic is one of the best flat panels ever tested.

#2. Panasonic TH-50PZ750U Approx. $3500 - Excellent picture quality. Comparable image quality to choice #1, plus a convenient front-panel HDMI interface and more picture controls for fine-tuning color.

Other fine 720p Sets

#1. Panasonic TH-50PX75U Approx. $2000 - Excellent picture quality. This lower priced 720p brand mate also does just about everything right. With cable or satellite programming you might not see a significant difference in picture quality.

#2. Samsung HP-T5064 Approx. $1600 - This 720p Samsung also had excellent picture quality, with bright, colorful images, solid blacks, and satisfying detail.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

         

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Best of the Big Screens, 42-inch sets (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Panasonic TH-42PZ700U Approx. $1900 - Top picture quality. This 1080p Panasonic had the finest detail of the three 42 inch sets.

Other fine 42 inch Sets

#2. Panasonic TH-42PX77U Approx. $1300 - Top picture quality. This lower priced 720p did very well. Ona a 42 inch screen, the advantages of 1080p resolution aren't as apparent as on the larger sets.

#3. Pioneer Elite PRO-950HD Approx. $2700 - This pricey 720p Pioneer also had top picture quality, with loads of features and settings.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

         

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Best LCD TVs:

Best of the Big Screens, 52 inch and Larger (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR4 (52 in.) Approx. $4000
All of these sets did well for brightness, detail, and color accuracy. Although a bit pricey, this Sony is among the best LCD TVs you can buy today.

#2. Sharp Aquos LC-52D64U (52 in.) Approx. $3000
The Sharp had excellent HD and DVD picture quality at a relatively low price, but its viewing angle is narrower than with most of the models.

#3. Samsung LN-T5281F (52 in.) Approx. $4500
The Samsung had excellent picture quality, with top notch black levels and an intuitive onscreen menu. It's among the highest-proced sets of its type, partly because it's one of the first LCD TVs to use LED backlighting.

#4. Toshiba 57LX177 (57 in.) Approx. $6500
Threw this one in for its size, some people just feel bigger is better.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

          

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Best of the Big Screens, 46 inch sets (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR5 Approx. $3600
Like the bigger sets above, these models got all the basics right. Again, although a bit pricey, this 1080p Sony is among the best LCD TVs you can buy, with outstanding picture quality.

#2. Samsung LN-T4661F Approx. $2200
The Samsung also had excellent picture quality, plus excellent sound, for less money. Its onscreen menu is among the most intuitive we've seen.

#3. Mitsubishi LT-46133 Approx. $2200
The Mitsubishi 1080p TV had excellent picture quality and six HD-capable inputs.

720p Screen Resolution

#1. Sony Bravia KDL-46S3000 Approx. $1900
This very well-priced Sony, the only 720p display in the group, did very well indeed.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

          

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Best of the Big Screens, 40 inch sets (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Sony Bravia KDL-40V3000 Approx. $1900
All had fine picture quality. This Sony 1080p set had excellent detailed picture and great color.

#2. Samsung LN-T4061F Approx. $1800
This 1080p Samsung, although pricier than its sibling 720p set below, did much better with High-Def.

#3. Mitsubishi LT-40134 Approx. $1900
The Mitsubishi 1080p TV had fine picture quality and did very well.

720p Screen Resolution

#1. Samsung LN-T4053H Approx. $1500
This 40-inch Samsung has 720p resolution, sufficient for this screen size. It had deeper blacks than many LCD sets.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

          

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Best of the Big Screens, 32 inch sets (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

720p Screen Resolution

#1. Sony Bravia KDL-32XBR4 Approx. $1400
These four 720p sets have excellent picture quality with all content. Both Sony sets displayed the finest detail and great color. This more pricier model had a wide viewing angle, more features and one more HDMI input.

#2. Sony Bravia KDL-32S3000 Approx. $1100
Excellent picture quality with all content. Both Sony sets displayed the finest detail and great color.

#3. Panasonic TC-32LX700 Approx. $950
These four 720p sets have excellent picture quality with all content. This Panasonic had a very wide viewing angle, the best we've seen on an LCD TV.

#4. Samsung LN-T3242H Approx. $1000
These four 720p sets have excellent picture quality with all content. This 32-inch Samsung showed really great color.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

          

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Best Rear-projection TVs:  (Important Note: Sony, consistently one of the top scoring rear-projection TV brands, is the latest company to announce its departure from this category. It will be leaving the business once its inventories of rear-projection TVs are depleted.)

Best of the Big Screens, 60 inch and Larger (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Sony KDS-R60XBR2 (60 in.) Approx. $2700
This top-rated Sony, an LCoS 60-inch set, is among the best rear-projection TVs we've tested, with excellent picture quality on all types of programs. While pricey, this set comes with an extra lamp which is worth a few hundred dollars.

#2. Sony KDS-60A3000 (60 in.) Approx. $2200
This Sony, also an LCoS 60-inch set, also had excellent picture quality.

#3. Samsung HL-T6189S (61 in.) Approx. $3000
This Samsung DLP set has a slim profile and displayed excellent HD. It's relatively pricey in part because of its long lasting LED backlight, which eliminates bulb replacement costs over the life of the TV.

#4. Mitsubishi WD-65734 (65 in.) Approx. $2100
This 65-inch Mitsubishi is a DLP-based model with four HDMI inputs. It performed very well with all content.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

          

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Best of the Big Screens, 50- to 57-inch sets (Prices will vary, but my preferred merchants will always be less!)

1080p Screen Resolution

#1. Samsung HL-T5687S (56 in.) Approx. $2300
This Samsung, a 56-inch DLP set with LED illumination and a slim profile, had excellent picture quality with HD and DVD content.

#2. Sony KDS-55A3000 (55 in.) Approx. $2000
This Sony, a 55-inch LCoS set, had excellent picture quality with all types of programming.

#3. Samsung HL-S5687W (56 in.) Approx. $1900
This Samsung DLP set is less expensive partly because it uses the typical bulb (a gas-discharge lamp) and has one less HDMI input. It had excellent picture quality with HD and was very good with DVD.

#4. Mitsubishi WD-57733 (57 in.) Approx. $1700
This Mitsubishi is a DLP-based 57-inch model that performed very well with all types of programs.

#5. Samsung HL-S5087W (50 in.) Approx. $1300
This Samsung 1080p DLP set had very good picture quality on all types of programs. Among the smaller sets of this type, it costs about half as much as a well-rated 50-inch 1080p plasma.

NOTE: Copy the model number of the set you are interested in above, and paste it in the search item box of one of the preferred merchant sites listed here:

          

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Best of the Big Screens:                   

Plasma TV, LCD TV, rear projection TV, I think I'm gonna scream! The trend toward ever-bigger TV screens is evident. One reason is the improvement in picture quality in a growing number of TVs with 1080p (1920x1080) native screen resolution. Native screen resolution indicates the number of pixels, or picture elements, on the screen. The more pixels, the finer the detail a screen can display. You can appreciate this level of detail most on a 50-inch screen, or larger, but you might see some subtle improvements on 40- to 47-inch screens also. 720p sets have been the front-runner because of price, but now you'll find a growing number of 1080p sets at lower prices, giving you much more of a choice.

So lets break down some of your choices. LCD TVs, come in common sizes of 17 to 52 inches and are very slim. The pros to a LCD TV are the wider range of sizes, and greater choice of 1080p sets than plasmas. They have brighter images and most have no reflections from the screen. They are lighter weight and they use less power. The cons are most have limited viewing angle. They do not match plasmas for deepest blacks and smooth motion.

Plasma TVs come in common sizes of 42 to 60 inches and are also slim. The pros, they have vitually unlimited viewing angle. Much deeper blacks and better contrast than on LCDs. There is no motion blur and more screen for the money. The cons, shiny screens show reflections in bright rooms. Images may leave a temporary or permanent impression. They use more power and there are fewer 1080p plasma sets to choose from than LCD 1080p sets.

Rear-projection TVs come in sizes of 50 to 70 inches. The pros, you get the most screen for your money with a wide selection of 1080p sets. The cons, they are much bigger and most go 12 to 20 inches deep. There is a narrower viewing angle than on plasmas. You must periodically replace the bulb, which can run you from $200 to $300. They have been more repair prone.

Is there a clear winner? The vast majority of consumers are buying both the LCD and plasma flat panels rather than rear-projection. Neither LCD nor plasma are the clear winner for quality, there are excellent sets of both types available. Size does matter. Carefully choose the size screen you are most interested in and fits the size of your room best and that may dictate the type set you buy. If you truly want a jumbo screen for a large room and home theater, then rear-projection is the way to go. Obviously for the smaller sizes you have to go with the LCD. They are generally brighter than plasma and have less reflections, so they look better in bright rooms. LCDs are also better for playing video games or for use as a monitor because they are not subject to burn-in from fixed images displayed for a long period as plasma TVs are.

For the overlapping sizes, you must look at the viewing angles of your room and of course your budget. A 1080p set is the way to go, especially if your considering HD programming. But don't completely rule out the 720p sets if you are going for the smaller size screens. In the smaller sizes some 720p sets are almost indistinguishable from the 1080p sets.

One last item of thought, skip the extended warranty. LCDs and plasmas have been very reliable for the first three years which is the period covered by the extended warranty, so there's little sense in spending several hundred dollars for a warranty.

(Back to Top of Best of the Big Screens)

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